Electrical connectors typically comprise a nonconductive housing having at least one electrically conductive terminal securely mounted therein. The terminal is electrically mounted therein. The terminal lead, such as a conductor in a wire or cable. The electrical connector typically will be constructed to mate with another connector having at least one appropriately configured terminal mounted therein, such that upon complete mating of the electrical connectors, the terminals of the respective connectors will achieve electrical contact with one another. The configuration of electrical connector housings or terminals varies widely depending upon the required end use for the connector. However, an objective of virtually all connectors is to provide a housing formed from a substantially minimum number of components.
Certain electrical connectors may have portions which may be required to function as switches. In particular, a connector housing may comprise a pair of electrically conductive terminals mounted therein to be selectively placed in electrical contact with one another. Thus, the electrical contact achieved between the two terminals in a single electrical connector housing will complete a circuit between the conductive leads to which the respective terminals are connected. Prior art electrical connectors which function as switches include a plurality of separately formed components that can be moved relative to one another to urge a pair of terminals selectively into or out of electrical contact. The plural separately formed movable components required for the prior art electrical connectors of this type have added to the cost of the electrical connectors and have created inventory control problems.
Accordingly, it is an object of the subject invention to provide an electrical connector that can efficiently function as a switch to selectively make or break circuits between leads terminated therein.
It is another object of the subject invention to provide an electrical connector switch formed from a minimum number of components.
A further object of the subject invention is to provide an electrical connector switch that has the nonconductive components unitarily molded.
An additional object of the subject invention is to provide an electrical connector switch having a unitarily molded housing with at least one separable portion that enables selective separation or contact between terminals mounted in the housing.
Still another object of the subject invention is to provide an electrical connector having at least one portion which functions as a switch and at least one additional portion that can be mated with a second electrical connector.